How does food affect our environment?

Consumption of food contributes to damaging our environment in a few different ways. Production, processing, transportation, and packaging of food are all factors that need to be considered and need to find solutions for. The main environmental impacts in food production and processing are in agriculture and aquaculture. And the amount of pollution and waste that is created during the transportation and the packaging of food is unnecessary and can be reduced.

The parts of agriculture that effect our environment are the consumption of water, energy and natural resources, the usage of pesticides and fertilizers, and the destruction of forests for the use of cropland. Between the preparation of soil, fertilization, irrigation, crop protection, packaging and transporting; materials that are used: chemicals, fertilizers, water, pesticides and packaging materials; energy sources that are used: energy to move the water, and lots of fuel; and the harmful emissions are as follows: chemicals, phosphate, nitrogen, pesticides, waste materials and CO2.

Major environmental impacts in aquaculture are: damage/loss of habitats and ecosystems, pollutions from effluents, chemicals and antibiotics. Aquaculture is the fastest growing form of food production in the world and is causing damage to coastal wetlands. These habitats and ecosystems are being destroyed to create room for shrimp farming because shrimp is the most dominant in value in aquaculture. The pollutants that are effecting our environment are coming from excrements, feed & nutrients, and chemicals & antibiotics. These chemicals are being used as fertilizers which are used to adjust the acidity of the water.
The amount of gas that is used to transport food from across the world and to package that food can be reduced by eating locally grown food. “Rich Pirog of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture reports that the average fresh food item on our dinner table travels 1,500 miles to get there. Buying locally produced food eliminates the need for all that fuel-guzzling transportation.” Not only does buying locally grown food decrease the amount of pollutants and waste that is put into the environment but it also is healthier for you.

A few ways to reduce these negative effects on our environment are:
·    Reduce nutrient loads and pest control & management will reduce the amount of effluents that are used.
·    Do not overstock or overfeed this will cut down on the amount of chemicals and antibiotics used.
·    Use natural pesticides rather than harmful chemicals
·    Have a good drainage system so that you can reuse water during irrigation
·    Buying locally grown food
·    All in all we just need to be more aware and have better management, doing this will not only improve the negative effects on our environment but improve product quality and reduce costs.

References:
http://www.unescap.org/esd/environment/cap/meeting/pacific/presentations/Session%204%20-%20Environmental%20impacts.pdf
http://environment.about.com/od/greenlivingdesign/a/locally_grown.htm

How does eating organic affect the environment?

Conventional farming focuses on maximizing output, producing as much food as cheaply as possible. Fossil fuels play a large part in the production of this cheap food. The food system uses 19 percent of fossil fuels used by all sectors of the economy. It produces roughly 37 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions making the way we produce our food the single largest contributor to atmosphere altering gasses. The food system also contributes to soil erosion and loss of bio-diversity through rampant use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Pesticides and chemical fertilizers release CO2 into the atmosphere causing greenhouse gas. Eating organic is a positive step for weaning or food system off fossil fuels, reversing soil degradation, and reducing our carbon foot-print.

In order to farm organically, farmers need to use substantially less pesticides and chemical fertilizers, relying more so on natural fertilizers.  Many modern sustainable farmers plant a cover crop after the fall harvest which significantly reduces the need for fertilizer while improving soil fertility and its ability to hold water and withstand drought. By supporting organic farming that uses less pesticides and chemical fertilizers we can also cut back on CO2 emissions. The spraying of chemical pesticides releases large amounts of C02 into the atmosphere, as does using chemical fertilizer. Organic farms are heavily restricted from using these kinds of pesticides and fertilizers. This in turn creates less pollution from chemicals seeping into our groundwater, rivers, lakes, and oceans, as well as reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emission from producing food.

Because there are much less chemical preservatives used, organic food in your local markets is often farmed closer than inorganic food. Some organic produce can not keep for long enough to be shipped from across the world without the use of preservatives so retailers look to source these foods from more local farms. This helps reduce the environmental impact of shipping food over long distances.

Eating Organic may be a only a small step in affecting climate change, but every small step counts Organic food is steadily rising in popularity and will continue to do so as long as people care about their health and their environment.

What are the Environmental Consequences of Eating Meat?

When thinking of human factors that contribute to climate change, images that come to mind are often of jam packed highways with exhaust pipes emitting carbon dioxide or of large industrial mills with smokestacks sending black clouds into the atmosphere.

What we often fail to recognize as a significant contributor to global warming and our carbon footprint is this:

That’s right. Our diet, more specifically our consumption of meat and other animal products as a regular food source, is identified as one of the most important drivers of environmental pressures (United Nations Environmental Program, 2010). For instance one statistic shows that if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted it for vegetarian foods, the savings in carbon dioxide would be the equivalent of taking more than 500, 000 cars off United States roads (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 2011).

A number of aspects of animal production and consumption play a role in this figure.  For instance on a global scale, roughly 70% of the world’s freshwater consumption, about 38% total land use and roughly 14% of the world’s green house gas production is due to agricultural production (United Nations Environmental Program, 2010). According to one study, meat production requires ten to twenty times more energy per edible tonne than does grain production (Leckie, 2007). This is because housing of animals for meat consumption often requires artificial ventilation, conveyor belts and electrical lighting, slaughter houses are water and energy intensive, and animal products tend to require more energy for processing, packaging and refrigeration than plant based foods (Leckie, 2007). Many vegetables, grains and fruits require no refrigeration and little to no packaging.  This is not to mention the amount of fuel that is necessary to transport feed to livestock, livestock to slaughterhouses, meat to produce stores and eventually meat to our plates.

LESS MEAT = LESS HEAT

While agricultural production is a necessary means for human survival, it is important to asses which types of production are fundamental to human and promote environmental sustainability, and which are detrimental to it. As population expands, adequate food resources and intact land areas are critical to maintaining a healthy population. A primary step in ensuring this, among other things, is an overall shift in food choices and consciousness away from animal products towards plant based foods.

Check this out:
Number one cause of global warming.


References

United Nations Environmental Program. (2010). Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production: Priority Products and Materials. Retrieved March 27, 2011 from www.enep.org/resourcepanel/documents/pdf/PriorityProductsAndMaterials-Report_Full.pdf

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2011). Meat and the Environment. Retrieved March 27, 2011 from www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-feed/meat-and-environment.aspx

Leckie, S. (2007). Meat Production’s Environmental Toll: Wilderness Destruction, Soil Erosion, Energy Waste and Pollution. Retrieved March 27, 2011 from www.veg.ca/content/view.133.111/#energy

FaithofReason. (2008, November 6). Number 1 Cause of Global Warming [Video File]. Retrieved March 28, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox1WQUnBwa8 

Where Can You Find Local Foods in Victoria, BC?

When it comes to eating locally, Victoria has a variety of different options to cater to your needs.  Farmers markets are quite popular within the community.  During Spring, Summer and Fall seasons from May to October both the Moss Street and James Bay community market sell local organic produce.  The Market on Yates a downtown grocery store sells seasonal Vancouver grown fruits and vegetables; however, some organic produce are imported, so watch out for the sticker tag.  There are also specialty produce stores, including the Root Cellar located on McKenzie Avenue, here you will also find local and organic produce.  The Mitchell Brothers farm located in Saanichton grows seasonal produce, compost, bark mulch and hay for gardeners.  Another popular farm stand, the Madrona farm stand, located on Blenkinsop Road is open Wednesday through Saturday.  This stand averages about 1200lbs of food on a summer morning, but disappears quickly, so get there early. 

A great way to start the journey to eating locally and organic is to join the Vancouver Island 100 mile diet.  This means eating locally and supporting local businesses that sell foods and produce on the Island.  This is a great way to decrease the carbon footprint, as the miles it takes to transport and deliver food to our city is extremely high.  Below is a great resource providing detailed information about the 100 mile diet and offering information about a variety of businesses and locations where local and organic foods can be purchased throughout Vancouver Island. 

http://www.vancouverislanddiet.com/resources_food_production_vancouver_island.html 

references:

http://www.suite101.com/content/eat-local-in-victoria-bc-a161348 http://www.vancouverislanddiet.com/resources_food_production_vancouver_island.html